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Work To Begin On Local Projects After Election

Work will begin immediately on the initiatives approved in Tuesday's citywide special election, beginning with nearly $168 million in bond issues, Fort Smith leaders confirmed Wednesday.

Jeff Dingman, deputy city administrator, said the Board of Directors on Tuesday night — just a week after the landslide election — will consider a resolution authorizing city staff to begin the process of refinancing $55.38 million in existing bonds and issuing new bonds to pay for four other capital projects.

"We need to close on the financing by the last board meeting in May so we can get the funding in June," Dingman said. "This will happen in about two-thirds the normal timetable."

More than 75 percent of city voters approved a three-quarter cent tax to cover the refinancing as well as a $71 million bond proposal for federally mandated wet-weather sanitary sewer improvements, $28.12 million for a new water-transmission line and $9.11 million for fire service improvements that include a new fire station at Chaffee Crossing.

Also under the three-quarter-cent tax, about 64 percent of voters approved a $4.26 million proposal representing the city's share of a city-county partnership to build and operate an aquatic center at Ben Geren Regional Park.

The approved bonds probably will be issued in phases rather than all at once, Dingman said. Each project is at a different stage of development, and they cannot be completed and paid for on the same timetable.

About 75 percent of voters also approved a one-quarter cent tax that will pay for Fire Department training and operations as well as Parks Department improvements including softball fields at Ben Geren.

According to a news release from the city:

* Wet-weather sewer work on the Mill Creek basin continues without interruption, and new bonds in June will pay for further work.

* Design has begun on the water-transmission line and storage infrastructure, and construction should occur between 2013 and 2014.

* Design of Fire Station No. 11 at Chaffee Crossing and renovation of older stations will begin this summer. Fire suppression vehicles will be bid this year, with delivery in mid- to late 2013, and the new fire station will be complete by early 2014.

* Design of the aquatic center should begin this year after the city and county choose an architect. Construction is planned for 2013, and the center should open in time for swimming season in 2014.

* The design of the softball fields and a fire training facility will begin this year.

Sebastian County Judge David Hudson said he will meet with Fort Smith City Administrator Ray Gosack as well as the city and county parks directors to outline the next steps regarding both the aquatic center and the softball fields.

Although the aquatic center is an equal partnership, "somebody's got to carry the books," he said, so the city and county will each take a turn in the lead position. The county will be the lead entity during design and construction, and the city will do the honors during operation.

Kevin Settle, at-large city director, said he's very eager to let the public see the improvements as they happen.

"It's going to be good that citizens will be able to see the items going on, they'll be able to touch and see each thing. I've encouraged the fire chief to have a public viewing when he gets the first truck," Settle said.

Andre Good, Ward 2 city director, said he posted schematic pictures of the proposed aquatic park on his Facebook page in an attempt to inform the community about what's ahead, and he's seen numerous congratulatory messages there as well as in his city email.

"I've just been to the doctor's office, and he offered congratulations," Good said. "In general the comments have been very good."